Curve announce game schedule for 2019 season

Schedule features April 11 home opener, more summertime home games

By Trey Wilson / Altoona Curve | August 14, 2018 12:43 PM

CURVE, Pa. - The Altoona Curve, Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, announced the complete game schedule for the 2019 Eastern League season on Tuesday, the franchise's 21st season of professional baseball. The 2019 schedule features more home games during the summer months, as well as earlier start times for summertime weekday games.

The 2019 schedule features 70 home games, beginning with the Curve's home opener on Thursday, April 11 against the Akron RubberDucks, Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team will begin play on the road on April 4 at Akron.

"The release of the schedule for next season is always an exciting time for our fans," Curve general manager Derek Martin said. "We are excited to have more games during the summer months next season."

Season ticket packages for all 70 of the 2019 Curve home games are on sale now, with special discounted rates available for fans who pay in full by October 22, 2018.Fans interested in purchasing season tickets for the 2019 season can reach out by phone at 877.99.CURVE or stop by the Peoples Natural Gas Field offices.

"Our season ticket holders are the backbone of what we do each season," Martin said. "We are proud to announce that we will not be raising our season ticket prices for the ninth consecutive season. We appreciate the support from our season ticket holders and will continue to offer fun and affordable family entertainment."

The Curve will host their popular Independence Day celebration at PNG Field on Thursday, July 4, hosting the cross-state rival Erie SeaWolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, in the opener of a four-game series.

By month, the Curve will play 12 home games in April, 12 in May, 15 in June, 14 in July and 17 in August.

The Curve will continue the start times implemented for April and May in the 2018 season, with standard weekday games beginning at 6 p.m., Saturday games beginning at 4 p.m. and Sunday games beginning at 2 p.m. The exceptions are the three School Kids' Education Day games, taking place on April 17, May 1 and May 8, which will all begin at 10:30 a.m.

New for 2019, the standard start time for Monday through Thursday games at PNG Field from June 1 through August 21 will now be 6:30 p.m., a half-hour earlier than in previous years. Friday night games after June 1 will still begin at 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday games beginning in June will start at 6 p.m., excluding two Sunday games that will begin at 2 p.m. (June 2 and July 7).

The home schedule concludes with a four-game series against Akron from August 26-29, with each of those games scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

"The new 6:30 summer game times Monday through Thursday allow our younger fans to stay through the end of our games but still give people enough time to get to PNG Field after work," Martin said. "These times are also better for those who have to go to work the next day so they can get home at a decent time."

Among the notable series throughout the season, the Portland Sea Dogs, Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, will make their lone trip to PNG Field from June 11-13. The Trenton Thunder, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, will visit Altoona just once, a three-game series from July 15-17. The Reading Fightin Phils, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, will make just one trip to Altoona for three games from August 9-11.

Over the last 20 seasons, the Curve have welcomed more than six million fans to Peoples Natural Gas Field, received multiple recognitions as one of Minor League Baseball's top franchises and seen more than 150 of their alumni go on to play in the Majors.

Only one homestand remains for the Curve's 2018 regular season at Peoples Natural Gas Field. For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.

-CURVE-

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.